Harringay's High Street Gamble

This week, Chanel 4's Dispatches is focussing on the spread of betting shops, an issue we're only too familiar with in Harringay.

The channel's programme information says "Britain's high streets are struggling to survive, but one business is booming; betting shops. On average one new bookie opens every week. In one London high street there are now 10 within yards and the locals are fed up."

I do hope that high street isn't our stretch of Green Lanes.

David Lammy is amongst those featuring in the documentary. Apparently we're going to hear from a "politician who now admits they got the gambling laws wrong". Will this be Mr Lammy?

Channel 4's Michael Crick is going to look in particular at 'Fixed Odds Betting Terminals', or FOBTs . "These machines which increasingly dominate the bookies mean, says Crick that there are in effect casinos on every high street - lots of them". 

Academic research shows what effect FOBTs are having. Problem gamblers, those with a serious addiction, now lose more money on FOBT machines every year than they do on the horses, the dogs and in traditional casinos combined.

Armed with £100 in cash Crick sets out to show on Dispatches how compelling betting on a FOBT can be, and find out how fast I could lose the company's money.

Programme information here.